Places To See In New Zealand

Let us create your itinerary. We can pull together a great fly-fishing trip to New Zealand for you, with just the right balance of fishing, food and fun. We are born and bred New Zealanders and know the country intimately.

New Zealand is a beautiful country of astonishing diversity. From the almost sub-tropical north to the often alpine south the range of landscapes, climates and cultures will keep you occupied for weeks. We can add a few days, or weeks, of these extra attractions to your itinerary, tailored to match your interests and passions and requests.

Main Cities

Auckland is the largest city, with over a quarter of the country’s entire population squeezed in to its waterside location. To the east the Hauraki Gulf, home to the America’s Cup contests of the early 2000s, is dotted with sturdy islands, while to the west the shallow Manukau Harbour cuts in off a wild, rugged coastline of windswept black sand beaches and lush native forest. Auckland has a large Maori, Asian and Pacifica population which blends energetically with the somewhat larger European culture. It is a multi-cultural city with a vibrant heart, and is also the largest Polynesian city in the world.

Wellington, at the southern tip of the North Island, is the country’s capital and civic centre. Climatically challenged at times by its southerly aspect it sits on the edge of a large, rather beautiful harbour. It is home to the national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, and is the centre of New Zealand’s highly creative film industry. It is also the departure port for the inter-island ferries to the South Island.

Christchurch is the second largest city in the country and the only major city in the South Island. Now well into the major rebuild following a series of powerful earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 it will be a city to watch. Outside its actual centre the city is still functioning as before, and is well worth a visit. And you can now visit the central area of the city to see the rebuild under way. Day trips from the Christchurch include Akaroa, the Southern Alps, Hanmer, Kaikoura and the Waipara wine region.

Wine Regions

Perhaps not by chance, the country’s most abundant wine regions are all near fly-fishing regions. Hawkes Bay, the main wine region in the North Island, is just a few hour’s drive from the fishing rivers of Tongariro and the Central Plateau. In the South Island the Marlborough region, the country’s largest wine-producing region, is an easy drive from the Nelson and Buller rivers and further south the Otago vineyards are close to the Southland rivers. Smaller wine regions such as Gisborne and Martinborough in the north, and Nelson and Waipara in the south, are also very handy.

Maori Culture

Maori cultural tourism is a lot easier to find than it was a decade ago. Places like Rotorua, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay in the North Island, and Christchurch, Kaikoura and the West Coast in the South Island have a nice selection of experiences from marae (village) visits to boat tours, concerts and hangi (traditional meals), art and cultural tours and whale-watching. We can source you the best experiences in the area you are travelling to.

National Parks

By their very nature many fly-fishing rivers and lakes are close to wonderful wilderness areas and national parks. These vary from high alpine parks to thick forest, coastal and marine parks, wild remote beaches and mountain biking and hiking tracks. You can visit these areas on a day trip, kayak, cruise, walk or cycle them or spend a few days in a comfortable wilderness lodge.

We can confirm availability, get up-to-date pricing and a full quote to you overnight. We’ll then handle and complete your booking for you with full personal service all the way through.

We can also help you with all your flights to and from New Zealand, your other travel and accommodation arrangements, transfers to and from the lodge, and suggested itineraries for you to further explore this beautiful country.